Wednesday, 30 September 2009

A report by the British Cabinet Office released this summer offers stark evidence of the disappearance of the working class from the journalism profession, and the study offers some relevant observations for American media as well.

Between the 1958 and the 1970 birth cohorts, the biggest decline in social mobility occurred in the professions of journalism and accountancy. For example, journalists and broadcasters born in 1958 typically grew up in families with an income of around 5.5% above that of the average family; but this rose to 42.4% for the generation of journalists and broadcasters born in 1970.

The National Union of Journalists told the panel compiling the report that a 2002 Journalism Training Forum poll showed that fewer than 10 per cent of new journalists came from a working-class background and only three per cent came from homes headed by semi-skilled or unskilled workers.

One of the many troubling findings of the report, and the one most readily applicable to the profession here in the US, is that a prerequisite for entrance into a career in journalism is at least one internship experience, and that many, if not most, are unpaid. A cursory glance at available internships here in the US reveals that of 50 intern opportunities listed on journalismjobs.com, only 15 offer pay. Of the 50 internships posted, another 15 offer no pay but college credit, which at many universities, ours included, means that doing an internship actually costs a student tuition money. Here at YSU, students can earn six hours maximum for internships, but at many universities, 12 to 16 are allowed, paving the way for students to spend several thousand dollars (at least) to get an entire academic semester of work experience.

Creative-Radio is an independent forum for people active in or interested in the use of radio in development, in particular promoting public health, improved education, protection of the environment, improved livelihoods, good governance and conflict mitigation. Since it started in 1996, Creative-Radio has been in the forefront of radio's resurgence as a tool for social change and peace-building, and it helps promote best practice in these areas.

September 30, 2009, Kathmandu. The World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters AMARC denounces the attack on the reporter of community radio station Radio Kailash in Humla in West Nepal. The attack was carried out by a group of locals led by member of Constitution Assembly of the United Nepal Communist Party Maoist.

On 24th of September 2009, Radio Kailash reported that distribution of food grain in the food starved Humla district was being unfairly influenced by Maoist assembly members and that party members were being favored to receive the state food aid. Following the broadcast, a group of local persons arrived and padlocked the station. It then forcefully tried to take the reporter of the station Post Bohora to the Maoist party office and was severely beaten when he resisted. An assembly member of the Maoist party is believed to have led the aggressors.

AMARC Vice President for South Asia Raghu Mainali has expressed deep anguish and objection over the incident. "This is a serious breach of freedom of expression and safety of a broadcaster and is highly condemnable. No one has the right to lock up a radio station or beat up a broadcaster. There are civilized and legal ways of making protest if one does not agree with content of broadcast," he said. Raghu pointed to the fact that earlier incidents of violence against community radio stations in Nepal too were mostly perpetrated by members of the Maoists party and that the party ought to correct its ways should it genuinely care about the rights of the common people.

- End-

AMARC is an international non-governmental organization serving the community radio movement in over 110 countries, and advocating for the right to communicate at the international, national, local and neighbourhood levels. AMARC has an International Secretariat in Montreal. It has regional sections in Africa, Latin America and Asia Pacific and offices in Johannesburg, Buenos Aires and Kathmandu.For more information, please visit htttp://www.amarc.org or contact amarcap@wlink.com.np

Creative-Radio is an independent forum for people active in or interested in the use of radio in development, in particular promoting public health, improved education, protection of the environment, improved livelihoods, good governance and conflict mitigation. Since it started in 1996, Creative-Radio has been in the forefront of radio's resurgence as a tool for social change and peace-building, and it helps promote best practice in these areas.

Creative-Radio is an independent forum for people active in or interested in the use of radio in development, in particular promoting public health, improved education, protection of the environment, improved livelihoods, good governance and conflict mitigation. Since it started in 1996, Creative-Radio has been in the forefront of radio's resurgence as a tool for social change and peace-building, and it helps promote best practice in these areas.

TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - The unofficial radio station of ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya resumed broadcasting via the Internet on Monday, a day after the country's caretaker government shuttered it by force.

The de facto government issued a Sunday decree suspending media freedom and some civil liberties and sent troops on Monday to shut down Radio Globo and a television station that backed Zelaya, ousted in a coup three months ago.

The outside world, including U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and even local media loyal to de facto leader Roberto Micheletti have condemned the closures of Radio Globo and TV station Cholusat Sur, or channel 36.

On Tuesday, Radio Globo DJs played "resistance" music and took calls by mobile phone from a cramped peach-colored bedroom in a safe house at the end of a narrow residential alley.

Zelaya was forced into exile by a June 28 military coup but he returned secretly last week and was given refuge in Brazil's embassy, fueling a standoff with the government that took over after he was toppled and has vowed to arrest him.

As the political crisis, the first serious test for U.S. President Barack Obama in Latin America, has intensified, Micheletti has warned Brazil it has 10 days to decide on Zelaya's fate or its embassy in Tegucigalpa will be closed.

The media curbs have partially stifled Zelaya and his supporters, whose near-daily protests have flagged this week.

Radio Globo Director David Romero claimed a large online audience but admitted the station could not maintain its traditional reach.

"(Zelaya) has lost his media profile," Romero said from the makeshift broadcast booth. "Logically, he's weakened because he does not have the option to communicate."

Creative-Radio is an independent forum for people active in or interested in the use of radio in development, in particular promoting public health, improved education, protection of the environment, improved livelihoods, good governance and conflict mitigation. Since it started in 1996, Creative-Radio has been in the forefront of radio's resurgence as a tool for social change and peace-building, and it helps promote best practice in these areas.

A powerful underwater earthquake has struck off the city of Padang on the coast of Indonesia's Sumatra island, killing possibly more than 70 people so far, injuring hundreds, and destroying houses, bridges, and hospitals. Thousands of people are still trapped in collapsed buildings.

The 7.6 magnitude earthquake on Wednesday comes just hours after a series of tsunamis caused death and devastation on the Pacific island nations of American and Western Samoa. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre issued regional tsunami warning following the earthquake, but the warning was canceled soon afterwards.

Indonesia's meteorological agency said the quake hit 30 miles (50 kilometers) off the coast of Padang, along the same fault line the spawned the massive 2004 Asian tsunami that killed more than 230,000 in a dozen countries.

Creative-Radio is an independent forum for people active in or interested in the use of radio in development, in particular promoting public health, improved education, protection of the environment, improved livelihoods, good governance and conflict mitigation. Since it started in 1996, Creative-Radio has been in the forefront of radio's resurgence as a tool for social change and peace-building, and it helps promote best practice in these areas.